What Was Mine Is Yours
by Expressionista
Summary: Just what is a soul mate? At Cremshaw Academy amidst unexplained murders, an unnamed enemy and a family of vampires whose seemingly unbreakable bonds are reaching their breaking points, artistic prodigy Carline is about to find out.
1. Prologue: The Day You Died

We lose our tempers all the time. While we're at it we also lose our patience, minds and hearts. There's no way to prepare for that feeling of loss.

I remember the day it happened as if it happened five minutes ago. My family and I were enjoying a sunny day at the park; we had Frisbee's, a picnic and even a checkered blanket spread out on the grass. The breeze blowing through my chin-length hair was the best feeling imaginable. I was watching Mike run after a Frisbee and my mother had just stood up to run after him when it happened.

At first it was like the initial shock when you realize you've lost an earring. I froze and held my breath, listening for something. Whatever I was listening for never came, so then the pain set in. A sadness that was as physical as it was undeniable fell upon my chest, making me buckle over onto the spongy grass. I gripped at my heart and clenched my teeth, waiting for the moment to pass. All I heard was the wind blowing loudly in my ears and the distant yells of my brothers playing in the field.

I panted and squirmed around, trying to alleviate the knot that had formed. _Come back!_ I wanted to scream. Even if I was only nine years old, I knew very well that I couldn't live without a heart. It was impossible, and yet that was what I swore was happening: my heart was leaving. Finally a scream broke free from throat, and then it was over.

I collapsed on my back and stared up at the sky. My chest rose and fell heavily as I regained my breath. A cold sweat had formed on my face. I heard the exclamations of panic from my mother as she shouted my name and ran towards me, but I didn't bother to move. I was tired and, above all, sad. A cloud passed over me and I could have sworn it looked like a dog baying at the moon. I asked myself, "Why do dogs howl at the moon? Don't they know it's never coming back?"

That was the moment I knew. My soul-mate was dead, and he was never coming back.

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**Author's Note:**

**There is more to the story, ha ha...**


	2. Caroline Without The O

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**Author's Note: **

**Okay, second update! For starters, I understand that the Prologue was very short, but the prologue is always the exception. I try and keep my chapters at least with 4000 words, so no worries. Also, just in case you guys were wondering, it will be explained, ha ha... Maybe not in this chapter, but slowly: it's key to the story. Hope that helps, shaybay55, first reader to review!**

**This is actually my second Twilight fanfiction but is the first one I've published online. I'm working on getting the old one up (give me until the end of the holidays), but until then, you have this one. It's different from the kind of writing my readers are used to reading, but I feel that in order to grow as a writer, you need to learn about other styles. **

**If you want to continue reading, please review! I work and study full-time, and really, if I don't get any reviews, I don't write anything. Plain and simple, that's how it is!**

**Hope you all enjoy!**

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The sound of the car door closing held with it the finality of a coffin being nailed shut.

As the red Mustang drove away she took a deep breath and looked up at Cremshaw Academy. At first it had looked like a monastery with its tall stone walls, but once her grandfather had driven through the gates it had felt like a university. She tightened her grip on her backpack and gulped, trying to calm her nerves. There was no way to tell if it was the building itself that scared her or the prospect of being away from her family for the first time, but either way, she found herself frozen to the spot.

A tall blonde walked out the main building then. She moved like royalty and looked like a model from her shiny hair to her perfectly groomed appearance. Hoping to meet her halfway, she bent down and got a good grip on her trunk. It turned out that the girl was a very fast walker.

"Welcome to Cremshaw, Miss Hunt," the girl greeted, extending her hand. Her English accent was clear and refined. "I'm Sophie Tiller, Head of Elizabeth Hall where you'll be staying."

She wiped the dust off her hands on her jeans before gripping the girl's hand. "Carline Hunt," she greeted. "Just call me Car."

"I trust you had a good trip from Cuba?"

"Puerto Rico, actually," Carline corrected. "And yes, the trip went smoothly, thank you."

Sophie nodded. "Well then, let me show you up to our hall. My brother will be here shortly to help take your..." She trailed off as her eyes focused on something in the distance. "Well then, it seems that for once he's punctual." Carline looked over her shoulder to see somebody running in their direction from across the field. Sophie motioned for Carline to follow her and led her towards the main building. "Come on, let me show you to the Hall. The Welcoming Committee did a very good job of decorating it this year..."

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Students began to arrive about an hour or so before supper.

Jasper and Alice sat together on a rocking chair in front of the guest house and watched as, one by one, the lights in the residence hall windows came to life. The distant chatter of students greeting each other and talking about the weekend's activities could be heard clearly to the two vampires, and with a sigh, Alice dropped her head back against Jasper's shoulder. He tightened his hold around her body and pulled her closer.

The two didn't need to speak. Alice knew of Jasper's normal worries and his constant battle with his thirst; Jasper knew she was worried about Renesmee. They didn't speak but comforted each other in silence. Alice could hear Renesmee and Emmett discussing what could be expected from school in the morning while Renesmee packed a suitcase with some clothes. Edward and Bella went into the room then to help. It didn't take telepathy to know that Edward wasn't comfortable with Renesmee's decision to sleep in the residence halls instead of the guest house with the family.

"It will be too conspicuous if I get special treatment," she'd reasoned when the subject had first been brought up on Friday. "I need to blend in."

"Your classmates are already going to notice that our family is treated differently," Edward had reminded her. He hadn't been the only one to try and convince her to change her mind; almost everybody in the family was opposed to her being away from them for any measure of time. It seemed that Alice and Emmett were the only ones who didn't have a problem with her spending the sleeping hours in a room full of humans.

"She'll be taking all of her classes with me or Bella," Alice had said in her niece's defense. "Jacob will keep an eye on her during PE, and during break she'll be with all of us. It's only fair that she be allowed to socialize with other girls her age."

Renesmee had made it clear that she wasn't trying to get away from anybody, but even so, she'd stood firm in her decision. Alice smiled to herself as the halfling closed the top of her suitcase with a sense of finality and started to drag it to the door. She'd truly grown in the past eight years; she'd mastered human mannerisms faster than anyone else in the family had, and if Edward's analysis was at all correct, she had her thirst well under control. Renesmee said her goodbyes to the family and Edward and Bella accompanied her to the door.

Alice pecked her mate on the cheek and stood up. Renesmee and her parents stepped out the front door then. The girl looked at her aunt with an excited smile on her face. "Are you sure you're ready?" Alice asked teasingly, knowing full-well that the girl would explode if she had to wait a moment longer. She nodded vigorously and turned to her parents, throwing her arms around the both of them. They whispered their I love you's and goodbyes.

Alice took a hold of the suitcase handle and held out an arm for Renesmee. The two girls started the walk to the residence halls. The sun had set a while ago so Alice didn't have to worry about walking through the forest to get to the buildings. Once they reached the Main Hall everything would be indoors; even the separate buildings were connected by hallways bordered with special double-paned glass windows that wouldn't let the sun shine through. That was the reason they'd chosen Cremshaw Academy: it was 100% vampire-friendly. It would be the first time they'd live together in a place as crowded as London, but the Headmaster had assured them that they could live normal lives there without being exposed.

Renesmee touched Alice's hand and showed her everything she hoped for from the school: friends she could tell almost anything to, teachers who could show her new things, spending time with Jacob as a normal teenager... Alice hugged her niece with a free arm and smiled. She was happy for her.

The hallways were emptying as students hurried to supper. As always, they stared as the two girls passed by and kept a certain amount of distance; that was nature telling them that there was a predator in their midst. Alice could only hope that Renesmee's dream wouldn't be shattered when it proved difficult to get close to the majority of people. Bella had been one of the few exceptions that hadn't been scared for her own safety, but then again, she'd been head over heals in love with Edward. Hopefully there would be at least one person that Renesmee could get close to in the school.

They reached Elizabeth Hall and walked past the proctor sitting at the front desk keeping watch. Renesmee pulled a long chain off from around her neck and used the key dangling from it to open the door to the staircase. They climbed up the stone steps to the second floor and reached a common room with scattered tables for studying and couches for lounging. Everything was decorated with the green and gold colors of the Academy and above the fireplace was the school crest, an eagle with its wings spread wide over a river.

"It's beautiful!" Renesmee exclaimed. With a cry of delight she spun around in a circle, her flowing knee-length skirt lifting up with her. Her curly copper-colored hair flew behind her, almost reaching as far out as her outspread arms. She was a petite little thing, and with that smile on her face, she looked positively angelic. She stopped and heaved a content sigh before skipping to her room.

Alice could hear movement in the room before Renesmee opened the door. She immediately greeted the girl inside and introduced herself as Renesmee, but to please call her Nessie. It took a moment for the girl to speak, so Alice peeked around the door to get a look at the new roommate.

She stood at about five feet five inches and had a guarded look on her face. Her incredibly long hair reached past her waist and curled at the end even with the rich brown locks held back in a ponytail. With a tight smile she crossed the threshold and held out her hand for Renesmee to shake. Her nails were clipped short and she wore several braided leather bracelets on her wrist. As for her clothes, she was dressed very simply: blue jeans and a white t-shirt that ended just above a thick leather belt. Alice was surprised to see a penny-sized tattoo on the inside of the girl's palm, but wasn't allowed to see it as Renesmee placed her hand in the girl's and shook it firmly.

"Carline," the girl said. "Carline Hunt." A gasp escaped Alice before she could stop herself. The girl seemed to have been expecting that reaction and smiled a sheepish smile. "I'm guessing you've heard, then."

Renesmee looked at her aunt questioningly but the psychic vampire had already surged forward, hand held out to shake Carline's. "I thought you were living in the Caribbean?" Alice asked, her smile spreading wide.

"My father retired, so we all moved in with my grandfather over here," she said. "How did you hear about me?"

"I went to your expo in New York and have been following your work ever since," Alice explained. "My boyfriend even purchased your painting, The Rescue, two years back."

"Then it's an even greater pleasure to meet you...?"

"Alice Braxton," she finished for her. "My sister, Bella, and I are living with Professor Carlisle and his family for the moment."

"He's my dad," Renesmee said, barely suppressing the urge to giggle at the cover story. "So, you two know each other?"

"Carline here is an artistic prodigy," Alice began. "You know that painting Jasper gave me for my birthday?"

"The one with the girl in the river?"

"Yes, that one. She painted it when she was only thirteen years old."

Renesmee's jaw dropped and she stared at Carline disbelievingly. "That's amazing!"

"Thanks," Carline said quietly, shifting from foot to foot. Catching onto her discomfort, Renesmee quickly changed the subject.

"It looks like we're going to be roommates from now on then, right, Caroline?" Renesmee said cheerfully, looking around at the room. Unlike the common room, this one was decorated with red and gold curtains and with long rolls of sheer fabric bordering the walls, giving the air of an Arabian palace. It was obvious that Carline hadn't been the one to decorate.

"Um, it's Carline," she corrected carefully. "You know, Car plus Line, Caroline-without-the-o... Just call me Car."

"Okay!" Renesmee agreed. "Which bed is yours?"

Carline turned around and motioned to the twin-sized bed farthest from the door. There were two beds on either side of the room, three of which were already dressed. The only unclaimed bed was the one between Carline's and the bathroom. Renesmee took her suitcase from her aunt and plopped it on the bed, declaring that it was hers. "Okay, then! Ready for supper?" Renesmee asked, giving Alice a knowing look.

Carline walked over to her bed and took something down from over the headboard, placing it carefully into the bedside drawer. Alice could see just before the girl put it away that it was an authentic dream catcher. She picked a necklace up from the bed and pulled it over her head, tucking it underneath her shirt. It was another Native American token, but this one she didn't recognize. Judging by the girl's light tan skin and oval-shaped face, however, she wasn't Native American herself. She was slender but not as slender as Renesmee and had delicate curves. It was clear that she was someone who had traveled a lot in her lifetime, hence her openness to cultures different from her own.

She was an interesting one, alright...

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Walking to the cafeteria with the two girls, Carline tried her best to keep a smile as she contemplated all that had happened over the past week. Renesmee and Alice were very nice and kept up a good conversation, but even as she answered their questions, her mind kept drifting back to her brothers, parents and grandfather settling in twenty minutes away. It was the first time she'd be living away from them, and needless to say, she was feeling somewhat jumpy in the new environment.

Tropics to London- it wasn't necessarily the most common change of scenery, but as she'd told Alice, her father had retired from the American Air Force and wanted to be close to his adoptive father. Within a week of her grandfather's offer to let them live with him in Cremshaw, London, they'd already started to pack, and less than twelve days later, she was where she was, in London's most prestigious arts high school. It was funny how life worked. As a breeze blew through the outdoor hall, Carline immediately regretted not bringing a jacket from her room and rubbed her arms to warm them.

"So, what department are you in?" Renesmee asked suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Not wanting to sound like a smart-ass, Carline decided not to answer without any sarcasm. "Visual Arts," she said instead. Alice gave her a grateful look that said she knew how obvious the answer had been. Carline got the feeling that they were more like sisters than just friends. "What about you guys?"

"Choir," they answered at the same time, smiling at each other. "We're sopranos."

"That's great," Carline commented, nodding. "Is it your first year here?"

"Yup, we just transferred from Washington," Renesmee said.

"DC or Washington state?"

"State."

"It's beautiful over there," Carline said quietly. They reached the cafeteria and made the line for dinner, each grabbing a tray and filling up their plates themselves before walking to a table close to the windows. As they ate, Carline looked around at the building with awe. The architecture of the Academy was amazing with its arced windows and stone walls, a close cross between a castle and a university. Everything was decorated with the colors green and gold and banners hung along all the walls, announcements for school activities and greetings from the many school organizations.

"So, are you staying for the festival this weekend?" Alice quipped. Her food was completely untouched, a detail that didn't go unnoticed by Carline. The festival Alice was referring to was the festival all of the organizations were throwing to welcome the new school term and to motivate the new students to get involved. She shrugged and swallowed a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"I guess so," she answered noncommittally. "Depends on how I feel Friday."

"You want to go be with your family, right?" Renesmee said, understanding clear in her voice. Carline nodded.

"We just moved here, so I kinda don't want to be away from them for too long."

"Ah, the new kids!"

A booming voice from behind her made Carline jump and whorl around, alarm on her face. A tall, huge man with short brown hair grinned at her and settled in the empty chair between her and Renesmee, draping his arm against the back of Renesmee's chair. "How are my two girls doing?"

"Must you always make such an entrance?" Alice scolded. Her voice held deep affection despite the admonishment. "You're scaring our new friend."

"Emmett, this is Carline. She's one of my roommates," Renesmee said excitedly. "Car, this is Emmett, my step brother."

Emmett turned to Carline with a smile that held a hint of mischief. "Did you just say Car, like the thing you drive?" Carline suppressed a groan and he laughed outright. "Wow, that's great! I can make _so _many jokes about that one!"

The rest of dinner carried on in that fashion. Renesmee and Carline ate while Alice and Emmett talked and asked questions. Emmett's cell phone rang and he answered quickly. He exchanged about a sentence or two with the person on the other line before hanging up. "Alice, we've gotta go. Family meeting," he said, rolling his eyes. Alice nodded and kissed Renesmee on the cheek before getting to her feet. "See ya later!"

Carline watched them go and then laid her eyes on Renesmee. She couldn't help but notice a sense of panic cross the girl's face and touched her shoulder. "You alright?" she asked. Renesmee's eyes widened and she quickly pulled on a smile.

"Yeah, of course!" she said hurriedly, but then stood up. "Um, I'll see you later, okay? I forgot to ask Alice something..." And then she was gone. Carline concluded that they were a strange family. Gathering everything onto her tray, she got to her feet and made her way to the trash bins.

She hadn't made it twenty feet when someone came behind her and lifted the tray out of her hands. She stopped and raised a questioning brow at the person in question, only to have her breath catch when she saw him. He was beautiful. He stood at about five-foot-ten with broad shoulders and well-toned arms; even with the academic shirt and gray vest that made up part of the school uniform, she could see that the rest of his body was as well-built. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged, friendliness exuding from his every pore along with confidence ; a strange combination, if she did say so herself. His pearly teeth reminded her of a Labrador, which just so happened to be one of her favorite breeds of dog.

"I was raised to help a lady in need." When she didn't say anything in argument, he took it as a signal to introduce himself. "The name's David."

She blinked twice and cleared her throat, finally catching on to the social cue that it was her turn to speak. "Carline."

"It's a pleasure." They walked side by side to the trash bins where he threw out the garbage and placed the tray on the rack. He held open the door to the hallway in a very gentlemanly fashion. "Shall I escort you to your Hall?" he asked with exaggerated formality. She smiled and nodded, feeling a touch of pink cross her cheeks. He walked at a polite distance next to her as she made her way to Elizabeth Hall. "So, I believe you've already met my sister," he began, breaking the silence.

"Renesmee?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, Sophie. She's the Head Girl of Elly Hall." That was when Carline saw certain resemblances: dark eyes and light hair, perfect posture, perfect grooming... Was everyone in London so cookie-cutter perfect, or was it just those two?

"Yeah, she showed me around," Carline said quietly. Suddenly he barked a laugh.

"Don't worry, you can say it," he encouraged. "She swears she's a queen. I keep telling her she needs to loosen up, but she just doesn't listen." Carline felt her cheeks turn red and he snickered. "I'm sorry, you must think I'm a terrible brother."

"Trust me, you could be worse." The words slipped out before she could stop them, so of course they caught his attention.

"Do I detect family problems?" he asked, his tone half teasing and half serious. She shook her head vigorously and waved a hand.

"No, not at all," she said honestly. "My brothers are the best."

"No sisters?"

"No, just an older brother and two younger ones."

"Lord bless your luck." This time she couldn't stop a smile from breaking out on her face. "How old are they?"

"Mike's only six months older than me but he advanced a year in elementary school and just started college," she began, ticking off the three boys on her fingers. "He's actually my cousin, but his father died when he was six so my dad adopted him; Lucas is fourteen and going to an all-boys school; Micah's only five years old, but he's a sweetheart."

"That's nice," he commented, and strangely enough, he sounded like he meant it. "Sophie's my stepsister. Our parents meet at a school conference, fell in love, and remarried ten years ago. They're gone most of the time and we're always here, so thankfully we don't see each other much."

"It happens." She noticed a poster on the wall and moved toward it curiously. "My father used to travel a lot, but then my mom..." She trailed off as she read the caption under a black and white photo. She felt her heart rate pick up and clenched her jaw to keep a hold on her emotions. David came up next to her and nodded, obviously having seen the poster before.

"Yeah... Her name was Jane," he said seriously. The girl in the picture was pretty with a neat bob of light-colored hair and a heart-shaped face. The caption read: **Jane Smith. 16 years old, light brown hair, brown eyes. Last seen August 2****nd**** at Cremshaw Academy's Student Orientation, 5 PM.** A phone number was printed at the bottom in red ink and the headline "MISSING" could catch the attention of anyone within a twenty-foot radius. Carline furrowed her brows and reached out to touch the poster, only to see that her hand was shaking.

"Don't speak of her in past tense. She's not dead," Carline argued. Her jaw dropped when he ripped the poster off the wall and marched away. "What are you doing?" she exclaimed angrily. "Her parents are looking for her!"

He stopped in front of a broom closet and motioned for her to walk over. Set in front of the door were several glass candles, small bunches of flowers and a framed photograph of the girl. Letters were pinned under the candles and a poster covered in signatures was taped to the door. "We'll Remember You Always!" was written in acrylic paint across the paper, surrounded by the many signatures of her friends, classmates and teachers. Carline's hand flew to her mouth and she stepped back.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He didn't look at her; his eyes were fixed on the memorial altar.

"They found her body out by the trails," he continued in that same serious tone. "The only reason they found her was because this couple sneaked out to shag in the forest." Carline couldn't believe what she was hearing. Only a couple of hours before she'd been terrified to enter the new school; she couldn't even begin to imagine what the girl must have been thinking before she'd died. It definitely put everything into perspective.

"Do they know how she died?" she managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper. He shrugged, finally turning away from the alter.

"Blood loss," he answered. "Apparently she went out for a run, got injured and bled to death. The doctors said she was knocked out when she fell, so chances are she didn't even feel anything." He noticed the drain of color from her face and jerked his chin in the direction they'd been walking. "Come on, let's get you to Elly Hall. That's enough of sad stories for the night." She dutifully followed. They walked in silence until they reached the front desk where the vulture-like old woman that everyone referred to as "The Proctor" sat, her pale face looking even paler by the glow of her computer monitor.

Carline pulled her key out of her pocket and faced David, forcing a smile to hide how much the girl's death had thrown her. "Well, this is my stop," she said with fake cheeriness. Judging by the way he raised his brow, she figured he could see through her act. She slumped her shoulders and shook her head. "I didn't even know her. I don't have a right to feel sad."

He didn't say anything at first, but then he softly squeezed her shoulder to get her attention. "I don't know you either, but I get the feeling you know what it's like to lose somebody you love. It's not even that you're sad, it's that you know how bad everyone else is feeling." His tone wasn't as serious as it had been in front of the memorial site, but she had a feeling it wasn't a joke, either. "Don't let it get to you. She's gone now. You're here, I'm here, and that's what matters." There was a certain truth to his words that made her nod in agreement. "So, in the spirit of us both being here, I'm going to save you from my sister and escort you to your classes in the morning."

That caught her by surprise. "What?" she exclaimed, but he was already walking away, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Have a good night Carline Hunt," he called, waving over his shoulder. "I'll be here at seven o'clock sharp; don't be late!" She stared after him in confusion and awe; why was he being nice to her? She wasn't particularly good-looking and she knew for a fact that she was dressed in her most casual pair of jeans with her scruffiest sneakers. It also struck her that he knew her last name, but then it hit her: that had to be why he was talking to her. In the art world (at least back on the continental US) she'd been considered an artistic prodigy and was well-known in many different art scenes. It wouldn't strike her as a surprise if there were a handful of people in the Academy who had heard of her at some point or another.

A throaty chuckle from her left caught her attention. "You be careful with that one," the Proctor warned, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "When he falls for a girl, he falls hard. The Academy's golden boy, he is." Carline didn't allow herself to sputter for a response and busied herself with unlocking the staircase door. The woman's laughter seemed to follow her up the stairs as she took the steps two at a time and sprinted for her room.

David had been right about one thing: she did know what it was like to lose somebody. She'd lost Him eight years ago before she could even meet Him. Her soul mate, that is. That night, she dreamed of His first time riding a bike.

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**Author's Note:**

**I understand I wrote the Prologue in first-person and this chapter in third person- I am terribly sorry. My original plan was to write the whole story in first-person to pay respect to the original books, but it just wasn't happening. If you guys prefer first-person, let me know! And just to clear up any doubts, the person in the Prologue was Carline.**

**Please review!**


	3. Run For Your Life

Author's Note:

**Happy Holidays! I hope everyone's having a fantastic vacation. I, for one, am currently fighting a cold and sporting a beautiful bruise from a snowboarding accident. I make it sound bad-ass, but it really isn't, lol. **

**Anyways, I'm sorry I took a while to get this chapter out, but here it is. As my readers know, I won't write until I get a review, so please review when you finish reading, okay? Okay! Enjoy!**

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****Friday:**

The sun hadn't even risen over the horizon when the Prodigy walked out of Elizabeth Hall. She was clad in a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt and on her feet she had a pair of worn running shoes. She greeted the night-shift Proctor with a small smile and walked thru the outdoor halls. The vampire watched with hungry eyes from a distance as she hurried to the school courtyard and stopped. She looked over her shoulder with furrowed brows, apparently having heard something. When nothing moved, she took a deep breath and moved even quicker across school grounds.

The vampire already knew her routine like the back of its hand. Every morning she got up ridiculously early, put on her exercise clothes, and took this same route to the school's outer wall. Once she reached the tall, impenetrable fortress, she'd jog along, and slowly break into an all-out run. It was interesting to see that, despite her efforts, she wasn't all that fast. One lap along the wall and the borders of the forest was enough for her, and as always, by the time she reached the point she'd started at, her cheeks were a bright red and she'd worked up a healthy sweat.

That morning, however, something changed. Just as she'd finished and the vampire was preparing to go back to its room and pretend to be asleep for the six o'clock bell, it heard two girls whispering. From its position on the rooftop it saw them, one standing tall with naturally red hair and the other considerably shorter with a perfect sandy-colored bob- Gretchen and Colleen. They were dressed completely in black as camouflage but their expensive perfume could be smelled from a mile away. The vampire watched as they peeked over the second-floor ledge, their eyes fixed on the Prodigy. She walked quickly and wiped her face with a small towel, completely unaware of the three of them watching her.

Just as the Prodigy was about to walk under their perch, Gretchen grunted and hurled a bright red balloon over the edge. For a moment to the vampire it seemed to be suspended in mid-air: it was filled with water, but judging by a faint clinking sound from within, there were also ice cubes. Once gravity caught up with the projectile, it was pulled down to earth and fell directly onto its target.

She cried out as it hit her head and bounced off to the ground. When it collided with the cement it burst and water splashed in every direction, soaking her pants and shoes. She jumped away from where the balloon had landed with wide eyes, jaw dropping as the cold hit her. Colleen didn't waste any time and quickly dropped a follow-up attack. The balloon somehow managed to land directly on her head as well, only that time it actually broke on her, cascading water on whatever had been left dry from the first balloon.

The Prodigy screamed and choked on some of the water. Wiping the icy liquid off of her face, she looked up at the second floor landing with disbelief. The girls had started running the moment Colleen had thrown the second balloon and were already halfway back to their dormitories. She stood literally frozen in shock, looking around at all the water disbelievingly. The vampire clenched its jaw as her lip begin to tremble.

Like every morning, she started to walk back to Elizabeth Hall from her run. Wiping tears and water from her face, she moved considerably faster than she normally did, and didn't say anything to the Proctor as she walked into the dorm.

As the vampire silently sat on a tree branch and contemplated the options, it reached a decision.

The girls had to be dealt with.

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Carline thanked the heavens for the invention of the blow-dryer as she ran it over her hair, steadily erasing the evidence of her terrible before-hours experience. Renesmee sat on the bathroom counter and watched her intently, waiting for an explanation Carline didn't plan on giving her.

It was finally Friday, and the week had been pretty good. The schedule the Academy gave was grueling with basic classes until noon and, after an hour lunch break, five hours of department classes. Carline didn't just like it, she loved it. She'd become fast friends with Renesmee and Alice and had even met some of their family, the Cullens and Bella Braxton. They were all very nice, albeit a little isolated from the rest of the student body. Then there was David, who'd taken it upon himself to be her personal guide of everything Academy-related. Thanks to him, she'd found out she was allowed to take her morning run at five AM so long as the Proctor saw her come and go. He'd even introduced her to most of his friends, and while almost everyone suspected they were a couple, he hadn't asked her to the festival on Saturday yet.

Taking all of these things into consideration, Carline refused to give in to her self-pity and meet Renesmee's expectant look. Just to keep herself busy, she ironed her hair for extra measure. Renesmee hadn't been in bed when Carline had arrived, but just as she'd made a pile of her wet clothes in the corner of the room, she'd arrived from her family's house. Renesmee sometimes spent the night at the faculty housing to be with her family and would always arrive at the room early in the morning to keep Carline company; under normal circumstances it was nice, but that particular morning it made her uncomfortable.

"Car..."

"I don't want to talk about it, Nes," Carline repeated calmly. "Seriously, it's not a big deal."

"It _is_ a big deal," she pressed. "If someone did this to you-"

"Nobody did this to me," she lied. She had a very good idea of who the two girls responsible were, but didn't want to start any more trouble.

"You're lying."

"Nes, please, just leave it alone."

The bathroom door opened and Sophie stood there in her nightgown. "Are you two finished?" she asked with barely concealed grumpiness.

Carline finished ironing the last lock of hair and nodded. "It's all yours," she announced and gathered up the borrowed blow-dryer and hair iron. Renesmee followed close behind. Once in the bedroom, Carline wandered to the full-length mirror propped up next to the window and started to fix up her uniform, making it a point to ignore the reflection of Renesmee's stubborn glare behind her.

"Why can't you just tell me?"

"It's not a big deal," Carline insisted, fixing her collar. The school uniform was simple enough: a white academic shirt (short-sleeve for the fall), gray sweater vest with the school crest, black tie and a black pleated skirt with loafers. The Visual Arts department logo was embroidered on her blazer, the optional part of the uniform for autumn. She turned around to face Renesmee, quite possibly the only girl she liked as a roommate, and smiled reassuringly.

"I promise."

Renesmee's eyes were doubtful as they walked side by side to the common room.

* * *

As always, David was waiting for Carline and Renesmee bright and early in the Elizabeth Hall "lobby" with a big smile and quick peck on the cheek for each of them. The three walked together to the cafeteria to try and be among the first students to get breakfast while it was still hot. Renesmee was cheerful and chatty like she was every morning, but considering the circumstances under which they'd left the Hall, it set off a red flag in Carline's mind.

Once they reached the serving area, she realized why. "So, David, why don't you ask Car how her morning was?" Renesmee quipped pointedly. David cocked his head to the side and fixed Carline with those dark, curious eyes of his, silently asking her a question. She shook her head shortly, indicating that she wanted him to ignore the cue Renesmee was trying to give him. He raised his brows and focused his attention on serving his food, but Renesmee continued. "Maybe you should also ask her what she'd normally expect of her friends if they were to find out she was being attacked on school grounds."

"You were attacked?" David asked, unable to suppress the curiosity. Carline sighed and shook her head.

"I wasn't attacked," she corrected, scooping a large spoonful of scrambled eggs onto her plate. "It was a stupid prank, that's all."

"You could have gotten sick!" Renesmee pressed, leaning forward so she could look at Carline around David. "It's freezing outside at that time!"

"It's not important, Nes." Carline handed her meal card to the lunch lady so she could scan it and started toward their usual table. The two were only a couple of seconds behind. "And anyways, don't we have more important things to discuss, like your date for the festival tomorrow?" she added as she sat down, hoping to change the subject.

As she shrugged out of her blazer, Carline saw Renesmee roll her eyes. "I'm not going with George," Renesmee stated as she plopped onto her chair, curls bouncing slightly with the action. "He's too full of himself."

"No, Nessie wants to go with the gym teacher," David said in a sing-song voice as he bit down on a slice of toast. Renesmee looked around to make sure nobody had heard and huffed.

"David, for the hundredth time-"

"Who's the gym teacher?" Carline interrupted, seeing an opening for revenge. David grinned and leaned across Renesmee with mock confidentiality.

"Some American guy Nessie has her eyes on," he said in a loud whisper behind his hand. "My informants tell me he's technically single, but smitten with this girl from back home. Nessie's scared because if the faculty finds out she's after him, he'd be fired and she'd-"

"And who are _you_ taking, Car?" Renesmee cut in, pushing David back into his seat. "I heard Henry from my morning group is _dying_ to ask."

It was Carline's turn to roll her eyes. "Henry O' Malley?" she said doubtfully before gulping down some orange juice. "Who told you that?"

"Henry's taking you to the festival?" David exclaimed, raising a brow. "The guy looks like a toad. You could do better."

"I never said I was interested," Carline reminded him. "He's gross."

The rest of their breakfast chatter continued as such, thankfully without further mention of the morning's incident. Renesmee made it clear she was flying solo to the festival as was Carline, and while David apparently had a lot of girls lined up waiting for him to ask, he had his sights set on one in particular. Before he could reveal said girl's identity, Alice arrived at the table accompanied by Bella, Edward and Jasper, all of whom were considerably quiet compared to Renesmee and David, who were bickering like an old married couple.

"Hey, where's Emmett?" Carline asked Alice once they'd all settled down. It'd become routine for Emmett to try and scare her before she'd gotten the chance to finish her meal, and she was now looking at an empty plate. Alice shrugged a shoulder.

"He and Rose got into a fight this morning," she answered casually. "They'll be back to normal by lunchtime." Carline accepted the answer with a nod and stood up from her chair to gather her things.

"Well, I'm gonna get going to class," she announced to the table. "See y'all at lunch."

The walk to her morning English Literature class was pleasant, and by the time she arrived, Professor Hendricks was already setting up the classroom for his lesson. It was an auditorium-styled classroom that had just begun to fill up with students, most sitting towards the back rows of the classroom. Carline took her regular seat in the third row.

Renesmee didn't take the class with her, but David and Jeremy did along with Edward, Bella and Emmett. Jeremy was the assistant editor of the school newspaper, an extremely laid back kid from choir that stood at almost six feet and had spiky light brown hair. He walked into the classroom only two minutes after her, his camera hanging around his neck as usual and somehow managing not to hit anything as he dropped into the seat next to her.

"Rough morning, I heard?"

Carline's jaw tightened and she didn't look at him, focusing all of her attention on the three blackboards the professor had just started to fill up. As his accent indicated, he was from Wales, but Carline only knew that because David had explained it to her. David had also explained that Jeremy had an uncanny ability to know just about everything that went on within the Academy walls.

"I don't know what you mean," she answered stiffly. He chuckled and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head.

"Whatever you say, Miss Hunt," he said with a sigh. "Gretchen Armstrong and Colleen Brown aren't the most pleasant girls in the Academy, but they will eat you alive if you show even the slightest interest in their favorite pet."

"I'm not interested in anybody," she stated quietly, not having to ask if he meant David: his ex-girlfriend and her best friend were obsessed with him. He shrugged a shoulder and closed his eyes.

"Well, several somebody's are interested in you." He didn't say anything else until David entered the classroom and sat down on her left. He peeled open an eye and looked over at David, not bothering to move. "Good morning, Sir David."

"Shut up," he muttered, rolling his eyes. Carline smiled to herself and pulled her binder out of her backpack. "So, give me the update: what are my options for the festival tomorrow?"

"What happened to you having your eyes set on one girl?" Carline asked. He grinned a mischievous grin and winked.

"I like to keep an open mind, Carline," he said. "So Jeremy, tell me."

"Not counting your ex-girlfriends, the pickings are becoming slimmer," Jeremy answered, closing his eyes again. "Pretty much all of the eligible girls in your department are already paired up, but there are several in choir that would just _looooove_ to go to the festival with the Academy's Golden Boy."

David got a pensive look on his face for a moment. "How's the dance department this year?"

Jeremy shook his head. "The girls that aren't focused on their careers are focused on their partners. You could try and have a go at the girls in publications: Monica June is single."

David wrinkled his nose. "Nah, what about the Visual Arts department? Have you asked anyone from there yet?"

"I'm inviting Lavender Armstrong from Group C during lunch, but Carline Hunt doesn't have a date yet," he said, jabbing a thumb at her and still not opening his eyes. "I say go for it before the entire athletic department does. Word is there's a bit of a competition going on between the basketball players."

"We have an athletic department?" Carline asked suddenly, choosing to ignore the fact that she was being spoken of as an object. "I thought this was an all-arts school." Jeremy smirked.

"Sir David, you explain."

Carline turned to David expectantly. He chuckled and leaned on his elbow so he was closer to her. "The Academy added an athletic department a couple of years ago to attract more students," he began, keeping his voice low as if it were a secret. "The Headmaster acquired a lot more of the forest land and decided to expand. Everyone in the department lives in the new buildings that were built in the forest and their department classes are in the fields beyond the woods. As of last year we have a couple of teams, but the students are vouching for more sports to be added. Other than being part of our morning Groups and sharing meal times, they always stay pretty isolated on their side of the woods."

"I had no idea," she said, eyes wide. "It's like a secret department of students or something." David and Jeremy both snorted at the same time. Carline flushed and lifted her chin. "It's rude to laugh at a newcomer."

"It's how we show affection," Jeremy assured her. Without opening his eyes, he added, "Here comes the swim team from the secret department."

She opened her mouth to object to the teasing but was interrupted when a large group of students walked into the classroom. Well, "walked" wasn't necessarily an appropriate term; "paraded" would have better fit how they filed in. The shortest of the group marched at the front with a flag of the team's mascot while the other team members followed sporting dark green jackets over their uniforms. They yelled, cheered and high-fived each other, reminding her of the pep rallies from the States. "Fourteen! Fourteen!" they whooped over and over as they moved like a herd to their seats.

Carline was about to voice the question when Jeremy cut her off with the answer. "They were ranked number fourteen out of one hundred private schools," he said in a bored tone. "The announcement just hit the website ten minutes ago." When she looked at David, he seemed almost annoyed by the team's display.

"Why don't you guys sound as excited as you should?" she asked. Both shrugged noncommittally.

"Group B, class is in session," the professor finally announced. Jeremy opened his eyes with a sigh and dropped his book on the table while David sat back and crossed his arms. Figuring she'd breach the subject at another time, Carline leaned forward and started to copy the notes on the board, mentally preparing herself for a long hour of the teacher talking at them about classic works of literature.

Considering how tight the schedule was for the upper grades at the Academy, the students were all broken up into groups for their morning sessions and the teachers traveled between the classrooms. Group D was for students that were on academic probation, Group C (the largest group) was composed of students with average grades, Group B was the group of students that had been approved for advanced classes and Group A was the most advanced group. Carline, David and Jeremy were in Group B and everyone else Carline had met so far was in Group C. The three classmates stayed in their seats through English Literature and then through Advanced Mathematics, but deciding to take advantage of the fifteen-minute break between Math and Global History, Carline opted to go for a short walk to the vending machines instead of staying in the classroom talking about girls with the two boys.

* * *

Only a minute after Carline exited the classroom, Emmett stomped in. He didn't say anything to the Professor's inquiring gaze and marched to his seat next to Edward, fuming. The telepath listened to his brother's superficial thoughts, a narration of the fight with Rosalie that had lasted all morning. In the jumble that was Emmett's mind, Edward couldn't clearly understand what the cause of the fight had been, meaning that Emmett himself didn't fully understand, either.

Edward sighed and leaned back into his seat. The couple had been fighting nonstop all week, but knowing them, it would pass any day. Emmett's bad mood would disappear once he saw Renesmee at lunch and then he and Rosalie would make up in their usual noisy, physical fashion. Chances were Edward and Bella would be forced to stay at Oliver's apartment for the night to get away from the noise; his brother's place had become something of their sanctuary from the stress of sharing a small house with a lot of people.

**

* * *

**

**That Night:**

If there was one thing Carline loved about the Academy, it was that the art studios were open until ten minutes before curfew at nine o'clock.

She stood back from her painting to get a better look at the scene she was trying to depict and decided that the little boy's hair could use more depth. She'd been working on the painting for the past four hours, and even if her legs were stiff from standing up for so long and her lower back was aching, she refused to stop until she was satisfied with the shadows in the painting.

The lights had gone off in the hallway over half an hour earlier, but Carline ignored the fact and calmly spread more black paint over the little boy's bangs; Professor Isaac had given her an after-hours pass until eleven o'clock so that the painting would be ready to be displayed at the Visual Art department's booth at the festival. She could put the finishing touches in the morning, but even so, she had to get as many details in before returning to Elizabeth Hall for the night.

She'd decided to put her most recent dream with The Boy onto canvas. It was the first time he'd learned to ride a bike; his father couldn't afford to buy training wheels for the bike, so he'd gone straight from his red tricycle to a rusting bicycle handed down from one of his cousins. The moment she captured was the excited second when his father let go of the handlebars and the Boy rode on his own, a grin wide enough to break his face revealing several missing teeth. Carline smiled sadly and walked over to the wash station to clean off her paintbrushes.

Ever since that day eight years ago when she'd had her "heart attack", Carline had been plagued with dreams of the Boy. When she was younger she'd insisted that he was her soulmate and that he'd died in a wolf attack. Despite her mother's assurances, that feeling had never gone away. The only upside to her condition had to be that her best paintings were inspired by dreams about him, including the painting Jasper had purchased for Alice's birthday.

Within ten minutes she was on her way to Elizabeth Hall, her after-hours pass held tightly in her hand. A chill had settled over the Academy with the night and most of the lights had been turned off by the caretakers, leaving everything covered with a dim, warm glow. She was still new to the Academy, but already the stone walls and old-fashioned lanterns hanging by every door were beginning to feel like home.

It wasn't until Carline had to pass through the courtyard that she started to feel nervous.

It wasn't as if the sound of footsteps was following her and there weren't any strange shadows creeping along the walls. All she knew was that the hairs along her arms and the back of her neck stood up and her heart started to beat faster. Clearing her throat, Carline took a deep breath to calm herself. Nothing was following her. She was being ridiculous. Images of the girl that had died suddenly filled her mind, and without being told, her feet picked up her pace. It wouldn't hurt to get back to the residence halls quickly, right? The faster she walked, though, the more her fear seemed to increase. Sweat broke out on her face and she wiped it away with her sleeve.

The idea that she was being watched didn't seem so far-fetched anymore. It could easily be the same girls from that morning, or worse. Finally she broke into an all-out run, abandoning all attempts at trying to calm herself down. So what if it was crazy?

She turned the corner and barely bit back a scream. The hall was empty of all humans, but in the middle of the walkway was a monstrously-sized creature. From the light of the moon spilling in through the arced glass windows, all Carline could make out was a silhouette, but that was enough to make her freeze. In the back of her mind, a logical side of her recognized that the creature staring her down was a wolf, a creature that rarely, if ever, attacked humans. The menacing look on its face and the murderous glint in its eyes had to be her imagination, a hallucination that was a result from exhaustion and all the paint thinner she'd been exposed to in the classroom; her body, on the other hand, begged to disagree. It wasn't until she felt grass beneath her academic shoes that she even realized she'd started running in the opposite direction.

She couldn't begin to imagine what a wolf was doing in the Academy or why it was chasing her in the first place, but that didn't stop her from running. The wolf bounded after her, howling and snarling. She gripped her backpack to her shoulder for dear life as her legs carried her across the courtyard to the main building: so long as she managed to reach someone with authority, she'd be safe. Safety in numbers was the best safety she could ask for. It seemed that she hadn't even blinked when another smaller wolf ran in front of the main building, cutting her off. She skidded to a halt and ran toward the forest, not stopping for more than a second.

Professor Cullen's house was by the forest.

She all but flew down the pebbled path that led to the faculty housing, ignoring the sound of the wolves howling and barking behind her. She caught sight of the Cullens' house nestled against the edge of the forest and focused on the lights in the windows, the promise of safety.

When the wolf ran up next to her and bumped into her side, she lost all control over her body. Her legs tangled up underneath her and her hands reached for anything to help stop her fall, but it was useless. She didn't even notice the ridge that dropped into the stream until she was tumbling down it, branches snapping and dirt crunching as she rolled to a sickening stop in the cold mud.

The stream trickled calmly around her, water running along her face and pulling her hair. Because of the season, the stream was nothing more than a thin trail of water going through a wide, muddy bank; otherwise, she'd have been underwater. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the feel of teeth and nails pulling her flesh apart, but it never came. After a full minute, she dared open her eyes, only to find that she was alone. The sky was spread out over her and the moon stared down, one night away from being completely full. If it hadn't been for the pain shooting through her hand, chances were she'd have stayed there in shock, refusing to come back to reality.

With a grunt, she rolled onto her side and pulled her arm out from underneath her. The action hurt more than it should have, and when she held her hand up to the moonlight, she had to bite back the urge to scream. Despite the mud that coated everything from her fingertips to her shoulder, it was horrifically clear that her thumb was bent back at an unnatural angle, unmistakeably broken. Bile rose in her throat and she swallowed hard to keep from throwing up.

From the corner of her eye she saw movement. At the top of the ridge, the wolf looked down, its face covered in shadows. She could have sworn she heard it whine like a puppy that just realized it was in trouble, but it had to be her imagination. Before she could scream for help it ran away, howling to the moon as it disappeared into the forest.

For a couple of seconds she didn't move, eyes glued to the spot where it had been only moments before. When she felt certain it wasn't coming back, she carefully got to her feet. The water made her uniform stick uncomfortably to her body, and as she adjusted her shirt, she concluded that it was ruined. Mud squelched as she shakily walked to the edge of the bank and looked up at the nine-foot ridge, trying to figure out a way to get back up. Curfew had passed a long while ago, and unless one of the professors decided to go for a walk in the middle of the night, nobody would hear her.

"Heeeeeelp!" she yelled anyways. She cradled her injured hand to her chest and looked up and down the bank, hoping there was some point where it dipped enough for her to be able to climb out. To her dismay, the point at which she stood was actually the lowest point. "Somebody, please! Help!"

Of course, nobody came. She bit her lip nervously and took a deep breath. She couldn't panic, not while she was alone and injured. Setting her jaw, she turned and started to walk along the stream. There had to be a tree root or something that she could use as leverage to get out.

"Hey, you! What are you doing down there?"

Carline whorled around at the deep voice breaking through the silence. A man stood at the top of the ridge and walked in her direction. Her relief broke out in one of he biggest smiles of her life and she ran towards him, almost slipping several times in the mud. "Thank God you're here!" she exclaimed, stopping when she stood directly beneath him. "I fell down here and can't get out."

"No, really?" the man muttered sarcastically, his accent obviously American. "Come on, lift yourself up with that branch." She was too happy to be annoyed by his sarcasm and obeyed, using her good hand to climb onto the dead tree root. He reached down and she gave him her hand, only realizing too late that she'd given him the hand with the broken finger. Before she could warn him, he effortlessly lifted her out of the bank, squeezing the injury with the action. She cried out in pain as he dropped her on her knees on the grass.

Carline cursed and doubled over, biting back a sob. "What's wrong?" he exclaimed. "Did I hurt you? I'm sor-"

"My thumb's broken," she answered between pants, holding her hand out for him to see. "It broke when I fell." Her arm shook and he'd straightened out the finger somewhat, but even so, there was no hiding the damage. This time he was the one to curse. Running a hand through his hair, he stood up and looked around, searching in the shadows for some hint at what to do next. She looked up at him with wide eyes, amazed at how tall he was.

Reaching a decision, he bent down and helped her to her feet. "Can you walk?" he asked. She nodded, but he still held a supporting hand to her back as he led her to the faculty housing. "Good. Carlisle should be able to fix you up."

"Carlisle?" she repeated, the name ringing a bell in her memory. He nodded stiffly.

"I think everyone's calling him 'Dr. Cullen'."

"Renesmee's dad?" she asked. He shrugged.

"Sure."

She wasn't sure what she thought of the answer but didn't bother pressing the subject. The sharp pain in her hand was becoming close to unbearable, and it seemed that each step she took, it only increased. Thankfully the lights of the Cullen residence became clearer, and soon enough, she was standing under the warm glow of the porch light. After he rang the doorbell, her rescuer dropped his hand from her back and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Thanks for finding me," she murmured, suddenly realizing she hadn't even thanked him. He shrugged.

"No problem."

Taking advantage of the light, Carline looked up at him curiously. He was ridiculously tall, and if his arms and the bulges from under his white t-shirt were any indication, he was ridiculously muscular as well. His skin was a rich russet color and his short hair a glossy black, indicating that he was of Native American descent. It surprised her that a Native American would be in London, but then again, she wasn't one to judge; she was Italian and had never set foot in Italy.

"What's your name?" she asked. Meeting her brown eyes with his black ones, he gave her a once-over and turned back to face the door.

"Jacob. Jacob Black."

* * *

**After Note:**

**Alright, from this point on, alot of things are going to happen and very fast. Let me clear up some things beforehand:**

**-Oliver is my original character, and his relationship to the Cullens will be explained. As a matter of fact, my first Twilight fanfic is centered around him. When I post it up, I'll let you guys know.**

**-Nothing has been changed from the Twilight books; all relationships and events are as Stephenie Meyer described. **


	4. Friends With Power

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys! This chapter's short, but the next one will be juicy and is almost done, promise!**

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**

* * *

**

"What... happened?"

Edward's demand met silence in the tense room. Bella sat on the couch next to him, hands wrapped tightly around one of his, trying to keep him calm. Seth and Leah stood with Jacob behind the couch facing the couple, the furniture serving as something of a barrier. Of everyone in the room, Seth seemed to be the most uncomfortable, not daring to lift his eyes from the floor or move from behind his pack alpha. It was clear that he was the guilty party, but Edward knew there had to be more to the story than he was letting on. Edward turned his angry eyes on Jacob and read through his thoughts, trying to figure out exactly what had gone wrong to turn the routine sweep into such a disaster.

When he was through, he closed his eyes and stayed quiet for several seconds. "What happened, Jacob?" Bella cued, reminding him that not everyone had telepathic abilities. Jacob considered his words carefully before answering.

"Leah and Seth were patrolling the South and East wings while I patrolled the North and West," he began. "Like every day this week, we've caught traces of the vampire around the Academy, but not a clear trail. When Seth passed by the Visual Arts studios, he found a trail and followed it. It led him to that girl, so he tried to take her down on his own." He paused for a moment and Seth seemed to stiffen, worried about what he'd say next. "I've gone over it carefully, but it isn't a mistake. Seth had all the reason to think she's a vampire."

"Well, obviously she isn't," Edward stated. He didn't have to refer to Carlisle's examination going on on the other side of the house for them to know what he was talking about; Carline's injuries had written off any doubts about her being a vampire. The Cullens could all clearly smell the blood from a cut she'd gotten on her leg during her fall, but try as they might, there was no trace of any vampire scent on her. The only proof tht Edward has was Seth's memory, and through it, he could tell that the youngest member wasn't lying about what he'd smelled. "The only explanation I can think of is that she was unknowingly spending time with the vampire today."

"Unknowingly?" Jacob said doubtfully, crossing his arms.

"Yes, unknowingly," Edward confirmed. "I can't read too far into her thoughts, but from what I can tell, she doesn't know about us."

"And what does she think happened with us?" Jacob pressed, referring to his pack.

Edward sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he admitted. At the wolves' dubious expressions, he scowled. "I can only hear bits and pieces of her thoughts, not the whole picture."

"Why-?"

"I don't know!" he snapped despite himself. "All I know is that if that girl tells anyone about what she saw, it could alert the Volturi of our location, and I am not going to let that happen!"

**

* * *

**

****

**The Following Morning:**

Being afraid of going to the principal's office was something Carline had never been able to get over; going to the Headmaster's office wasn't any different. Standing outside the wooden door, she took a deep breath before lightly knocking. Upon hearing a muffled reply from the other side, she turned the knob and stepped into the office, bracing herself both physically and mentally.

Headmaster Rivers sat at his desk looking through a thick file, thin wire-rimmed glasses settled low on his nose. For being in his mid-fifties he looked surprisingly young without a single wrinkle on his face, albeit there were dark shadows underneath his eyes. He had deep brown hair and a full beard that was kept short, reminding her slightly of a lumberjack- dressed in academic clothing, that is. He smiled pleasantly at her when she walked in and motioned that she sit on one of the two chairs in front of his desk.

"Miss Hunt, good morning. I hope you were able to rest despite last night's incident?" he said, looking at her over his glasses. He had a welcoming voice that urged Carline to lean back in her chair, relax, and just answer any questions he asked; the fact that he was calling her to his office even after he'd shown up at Dr. Cullen's house the night before, however, made it impossible for her to relax. She sat on the edge of her seat and held her healing hand close to her chest, trying to keep her eyes focused on the globe set on the corner of his desk.

"Sure," she answered noncommittally; there really wasn't any need to tell him about the nightmares. "My index finger and thumb are definitely broken, but Dr. Cullen says I can start painting again in about five weeks."

"Let's hope he's right, then."

Bookshelves loaded with books covered the stone walls and behind the Headmaster there was a large glass window overlooking the school courtyard. Only two framed pictures were visible in the whole office: one showed a much-younger Peter Rivers dressed in a peasant's costume with an older man, most likely his father; the other was a more recent photograph of the Headmaster with a group of students sitting in a circle, all smiling. Other than the pictures, the office was devoid of any personal touch, almost as if it was being borrowed; a ridiculous assumption, considering he'd been headmaster for over ten years.

"Headmaster, forgive me if I'm rude, but why exactly did you call me here?" Carline asked. At the Cullens' house the night before, he had arrived just as Dr. Cullen was putting her fingers into splints and asked her all of the questions everyone else had asked. The Academy's insurance was able to cover everything, including the X-ray, and she hadn't even gotten into trouble for being out at night. It had seemed much too easy to get off the hook, and as her eyes passed over the file on his desk, she realized why. He noticed her looking at the file and didn't even bother to hide it.

He clasped his hands together and took a breath, buying him time to think of the perfect way to word what every principal she'd ever encountered had had to tell her at some point or another. "I was hoping you could run me through what happened last night, just one more time," he finally said, his voice as calm as he hoped she would be. "There are some things I still don't understand."

It took everything in her to bite back the sarcasm and respond in an even tone. "I already told you, Dr. Cullen, and Coach Black everything that happened," she said. "What don't you understand?"

"You said that you were on your way back to your residence hall when you saw a creature in the hallway," he recounted anyway, referring to the written statement in her student file. "What creature did you say it was, again?"

"A wolf," she answered stiffly. "A giant wolf."

"You said that it was dark," he continued. "Could you possibly have mistaken it for something else? A shadow, or maybe a wild dog?"

"As I told you last night, the wolf pushed me into a ridge," she said, the annoyance starting to leak into her tone. "I doubt a shadow could have done that."

"But are you sure it was a-?"

"I'm aware that wolves aren't native to this area, Headmaster," she interrupted, already knowing what he was going to say. "However, as I'm certain you've seen in my student file, I painted wolves in my early teens and have seen them in person on more than one occasion. I'm pretty sure that I can tell the difference between a wild dog and a wolf."

Despite the attitude in her voice, the Headmaster chuckled and sifted through the papers. "While I have complete faith in your eyes, Miss Hunt, that isn't what I called you here to discuss," he assured her. "I wanted to ask for your opinion regarding the psych evaluation I found in your file."

Throwing a bucket of water over her head wouldn't have shocked her as effectively as those words. "Why do you have a copy of that?" she asked, trying to compose her face. "I didn't know that an evaluation was required to be admitted."

"We like to know as much about our students as we can," he said vaguely. "I talked to the principal from your previous high school and he connected my to your psychiatrist who faxed this over to me." She watched with horror as he pulled the legal-sized pamphlet out of her student record and flipped to the second page, the very page that had made her years in middle school a living hell. "It says here that you have an obsession with wolves."

"Had," she corrected, her voice barely above a whisper. She noticed her hands were shaking and lowered them onto her lap. "That evaluation is four years old and is supposed to be confidential."

"Regardless of when it was done, it also states very clearly that you suffered from hallucinations and insomnia," he continued, his eyes running down the paper. "It says that you spoke almost endlessly about a nameless boy, a boy that was killed by wolves."

"I was thirteen," she pressed. "I'm past all of that now. I take prescription medication to sleep and I don't see-"

"And yet you jog around the school grounds every morning at five."

She bit back her anger. "That's beside the point, it doesn't mean I imagined the wolf from last night!"

"The point is that last night, you claim to have seen something that nobody else could see," he concluded. "I checked our surveillance cameras and talked to Coach Black, and both claim the same thing: you were running from an unseen enemy and fell down the river bank-"

"I am not crazy, Headmaster!" she exclaimed desperately. The sting of betrayal that her savior had betrayed her fueled her to continue. "Coach Black couldn't have seen the wolf because it was dark last night, and he helped me out of the ridge minutes after it got away! Please, you have to believe me! I would never do anything to hurt myself!"

A long silence passed. The Headmaster didn't look at her, instead focusing on the papers in front of him. She waited nervously for him to say something or give any indication that he believed her, but it wasn't until he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath several moments later that she realized he'd had his mind made up before she walked through the door. Before he could speak, she pushed her chair back and got to her feet.

"I am not going to another shrink," she stated firmly, turning around. "I'm not crazy."

"If you want to continue to attend this Academy, then there will be a full psychological evaluation on my desk within the month."

The ultimatum rang like a gong in the silence, shaking her to the very core. She gritted her teeth and pulled open the office door, slamming it behind her with unnecessary force.

* * *

Edward watched silently from one of the neighboring offices as Carline Hunt marched out of the Headmaster's office, cheeks red with barely suppressed anger. Her thoughts were a jumble that he couldn't understand even when he concentrated, leading him to think that her psychological evaluation could possibly hold some truth: maybe she was crazy. Once he heard her descend the stairs and leave out the front door of the main building, he moved over to the Headmaster's office and pushed open the door.

"What do you think she'll do?"

Edward hadn't even fully entered the office when the Headmaster spoke, his back to him as he looked out the window over the courtyard. Edward moved next to him and watched with the man as Carline ran South, snaking through the crowds of students already setting up booths and stages for the festival on the field between the Academy and faculty housing. Edward guessed she was running toward the ridge she'd fallen down the night before, hoping to find answers that were no longer there. Seth and Leah had already covered up their tracks, erasing any physical evidence of what had happened.

"It's hard to tell, but I don't think she suspects anything about us," he answered. "She is completely set against going to a psychiatrist, so if we're lucky, maybe she'll just leave."

"It would be a terrible shame," the Headmaster commented, and Edward could tell by his thoughts that he was being completely honest. "I haven't seen talent or dedication like hers in years."

"It's necessary," Edward reminded him. "The Volturi are searching ever more aggressively for us, and for you. You won't be able to stay here much longer with this vampire killing students on the loose, and we won't be able to stay in one place without your connections."

"I understand completely; don't forget that I was the one who asked Carlisle to come back to London," he reminded him. "I just wish there was another way."

Edward looked up at the older vampire, hearing the pain it caused him loud and clear. He'd become headmaster of the Academy because he loved to see students grow and flourish under his guidance; he didn't care anymore for the vampire politics he'd been involved in decades before. All he wanted was for the young artists in the Academy to succeed and find happiness in their crafts. He hated that, in order to continue teaching, he needed to give up the once-in-a-human-lifetime student; unless they could convince her to change her story or prove that she was hallucinating again, she would tell somebody the story, and the Volturi would decide to investigate the wolf attack. The Volturi discovering the Academy would only result in terrible things.

"She's a prodigy. There will be plenty of other opportunities for her here in London," Edward assured him. "Maybe not in Cremshaw, but I can make arrangements for her to be accepted to the school of her choice if it came to her leaving."

"It won't be that easy," the Headmaster warned. "You seem to forget that she's made friends here, friends with power. Getting her out of the Academy is going to be much harder than you think."

"What friends?"

Headmaster Rivers frowned and watched as a single person detached himself from the crowd and ran after the girl. "David Summers."

**

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**After-Note:**

**Please review, and again, thanks for all of the support! **


	5. Something In the Horizon

**Author's Note:**

**The month of looooove has arrived! Thanks for your support over the past month! I have the next chapter ready, so please, review and I'll post it up!**

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Carline focused on transporting paintings with the rest of her class to keep from breaking down in tears. She couldn't go to another shrink, not after everything that had happened with Doctor Omar. Her only option would be to discuss the issue with her parents when she went back home the next day, so she decided to focus on more immediate tasks, such as helping set up the Visual Arts maze. With the splints it was difficult to do detail work such as hanging streamers or decorating a banner, but so long as she carried the canvas on her left arm and balanced it with her right, she had no problem taking the works to the exhibition set up on the outskirts of the festival.

Nobody wore the uniform and everyone was bustling around, trying to get the festival set up before lunch so they'd have enough time to pack and get ready to enjoy the festivities. Teachers supervised the heavy lifting and barked orders to the students, trying and failing to keep control over everything that was going on. Carline squeezed between two booths and bumped into somebody as she was backing out of the space.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed quickly, turning around. She was met with David's barely suppressed smirk and supporting arms.

"Watch where you're walking, Twinkle Toes," David warned with a grin, helping her regain her footing. "We can't have you falling again, can we?"

Her eyes widened and she readjusted the painting on her hip. "Everyone's heard already?" she exclaimed disbelievingly. He chuckled and picked the 18 x 24 inch painting out of her arms.

"It's a small school," he informed her. "Everyone's heard about how you got spooked and fell down the ridge." She groaned and lifted her hand to run it through her hair, only to remember that it was physically impossible. Looking at the bulky splints with distaste, she lowered her hand and started to lead him to the Visual Arts maze.

"I suppose everyone's also heard about how I've lost my mind, huh?" she muttered. He gave her a curious look.

"I don't think I've heard about that," he admitted. "The gossip mill's just calling you an easily-frightened American who isn't used to the sounds of London."

"Of course the reason behind my fear would be the fact that I'm American."

David barked a laugh, revealing the smile that had over 75% of the females at the Academy falling head over heels for him. "Nah, I think it's just because you're new," he said reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's actually good that it happened now."

"And why is that?"

"Plenty of new gossip will be born at the festival tonight."

They arrived at the entrance to the maze where Sophie Tiller stood. The Visual Department had opted to do something interesting with their annual start of term exposition and, taking advantage of all of the resources wood shop had to offer and scrap materials from the construction going on with the athletic department, had built up a maze with the students' paintings decorating the walls. From the outside it looked like a huge white box, but from what Carline could see, beyond the curtain the walls were painted black and lights were being installed.

With her pale blonde hair pulled into a ponytail, a clipboard in her hand and short shorts that exposed her long legs, Sophie looked like every teenage boy's fantasy of a gym teacher. When she spotted them two, she motioned at a group of students with maps in their hands. "Leave it with one of them," she ordered. "They know their way through the maze."

"Good morning to you, too, sis," David greeted sarcastically. Despite the remark, he obediently handed the painting over to a fifteen-year-old girl, a freshman who blushed when he winked. Carline rolled her eyes while she waited for him.

"Must you dazzle every female you come across?" she scolded when he came up next to her. The pair walked back to the Visual Arts studio side by side, earning themselves more than one suspicious glance from both students and teachers. He seemed completely oblivious to the attention he was receiving by being with her, but she could only assume that he was very good at keeping a poker face; he was in the drama department, after all. He smirked.

"I can't help how they react to me," he said innocently, holding up his hands. "If my charm had an 'off' switch, I'd have turned it off a while ago."

"Liar," she accused. He simply smiled, an action that made her smile as well. She looked up at the sky and held out a hand to feel for raindrops. "Looks like rain."

He shook his head. "Cloudy with a very slight chance of showers toward the evening," he informed her, quoting from that morning's forecast. "Either way, it's a good thing that all of the booths are covered." The hallways were empty in comparison to the activity going on outside, making their footsteps echo off the stone walls as they approached the entrance of the Visual Arts studio. Carline unlocked the door with the key Professor Isaac had given her. "I've always loved this place," David admitted, looking around at the huge classroom.

"Me, too," Carline agreed, making her way to the far end next to the window where her latest painting was drying. The floor of the painting area was covered in thin sheets of plastic to protect the hardwood, a smart idea considering how many colors decorated the protective layer. Paintings, drawings and sketches adorned the walls so that there was almost no bare wall space. Easels and desks were scattered all around the classroom haphazardly, allowing each student their own space with their own advantages. Carline had chosen a spot next to a window; the west and south walls were made up entirely of windows, making the Visual Arts studio the single most lighted place in the Academy. The lighting was perfect for her, and having a clear view of the sunset in the evening was definitely good inspiration.

Her painting stood waiting for her on the easel like an eager child, begging to be finished. The excited smile on the boy's face when his father released the handlebars pulled at her heart strings and the unfinished foliage in the background made her want to cry. She longed to complete the vision in her painting like a traveler in the desert longed for the mirage of an oasis to be real, but as was almost always true, the reality couldn't be denied. She couldn't paint. David walked up next to her and she composed herself.

"Did you paint this?" he asked, the awe clear in his voice. "It's really good." Of course he couldn't see the imperfections she could: an artist's critical eye was something that could take years to develop. "You should sell your stuff."

"I do sometimes," she answered with a nod. "But not this one. It isn't finished yet."

"What do you have to do?" he asked curiously. Not considering her answer too much, she started to explain.

"The forest in the background lacks depth," she began, pointing out the tree trunks. "I need to add deeper shadows so that you can tell the forest is far back. Also, his bike is a hand-me-down, and I didn't put enough rust on the chain. All in all, the painting looks flat, but with better shadows, I can give it life. It just takes a steady hand and color control, two things I don't have the luxury of thanks to a figment of my imagination chasing me down the ridge."

The last bitter comment slipped out without her wanting it to, but by the time she realized what she'd said, it was too late. David's expression didn't change, but she knew he'd heard her by his next words. "So the Headmaster thinks you imagined being chased?"

"He wants me to get a psychological evaluation to further discuss whether I continue to attend the Academy," she admitted reluctantly. She needed to tell somebody, and so far, David seemed the most trustworthy. "I saw a wolf last night. Rather than investigate where the wolf came from, Headmaster Rivers pulled up my psych profile and concluded that I must have made it up because I had a fascination with wolves a couple of years back."

"That's ridiculous," he said seriously. She rolled her eyes.

"You're telling me." Heaving a sigh, she lifted the canvas off the easel and handed it to David. "Here, you can bring this one and I'll bring the other." She leaned around the Professor's desk and grabbed another canvas that was leaning against the wall, this one depicting a scene of the Boy riding in the back of an old pickup truck; he was only about twelve years old, a goofy smile on his face as he dropped his head back, enjoying the feel of the wind on his face and running through his hair. She'd started it on her first day of class and had it finished by Wednesday, leaving her enough time to work on a second painting.

"Is that one finished?" David asked, gesturing at the painting she held. She nodded, propping it on the desk so he could see. He looked between the two paintings and noticed a resemblance between them. "Is this the same guy?" She couldn't help but smile and nodded. "Is he your brother?" She shook her head. "Then who is he?"

She waited a moment before answering. "Just the guy of my dreams."

**

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**That Night:**

The festival was in full swing with the sounds of live music and chatter and the smells of carnival food filling the air. The sun had set a while ago and Chinese lanterns strung from booth to booth had been lit, shedding just the right amount of light on the crowds of students. Mostly younger students in their first year and those in the festival committees ran the booths; functions of the booths ranged from carnival games to exhibitions of the previous year's activities to even the selling of tickets to the Halloween Masquerade Ball.

Carline drifted calmly through the crowd, a small smile on her face as she observed everything the student body had put together. Several students had their own bands in the Academy, and to everyone's delight the head of the Orchestral Department had allowed them to borrow one of the stages and play during the festival. A small jazz band was playing as she passed by one of the Drama booths that was selling tickets to the play in November; not sure if she'd even still be attending the Academy by that time, she passed with a smile and continued her walk.

"Hey, Car!" Carline stopped at Renesmee's voice and turned around to see her energetic roommate hurrying over with Emmett and Alice's boyfriend, Jasper, in tow. They'd all been helping their family settle into the new house, so she hadn't seen them all day. Carline smiled and nodded at the two boys.

"Hey Ness, Emmett, Jasper," she greeted. "Having fun?"

"These English kids sure know how to throw a carnival!" Emmett exclaimed, looking around with an approving eye. "Is there an arm wrestling booth?"

"Emmett," Jasper warned, rolling his eyes. Carline didn't have to ask why he scolded his step-brother; with Emmett's arms, there was no competition. Emmett groaned and looked to Carline for support.

"I didn't see any," she said, shrugging a shoulder. "You could look around, though. Chances are the athletic department made one."

"Actually, I think I just found some better entertainment." Carline looked over her shoulder to see what he was referring to. He walked past her and approached a senior girl with long, wavy red hair- Gretchen Armstrong's older sister, head of the Drama Department. Carline couldn't stop her jaw from dropping as he whispered in the girl's ear, causing her to blush and giggle. Carline turned back to Renesmee and Jasper, both of whom looked as shocked as she felt.

"Has he been drinking?"

"Not the last time I checked," Jasper answered through tight lips. He started toward his brother and Renesmee hurried after him; figuring it was best to leave the family matter private, Carline hurried away. Rosalie was a cool girl and Emmett had been nice to her, but there was no way she was getting caught in the crossfire if Rosalie happened to show up. It didn't take a genius to know that blood would be spilled.

From several booths away, the vampire watched as its plan began to unfold, and smiled.

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**After-Note:**

**Next chapter, the identity of The Boy may or may not be revealed... Yup, you guessed it, I'm waiting on reviews to decide ^_^**


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